Celebrate agricultural arts and sustainable rural living at the annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival in the Capay Valley (Yolo County) on October 3 and 4, 2015. Two fun-filled days of workshops and events will be held at Full Belly Farm, located within two hours of San Francisco and Sacramento’s busy metropolitan areas. The rural Capay Valley region is home to many small farms that supply Northern California’s families, restaurants, and neighborhood grocery stores with fresh organic produce. The Celebration will offer the public a special chance to enjoy rural life and deepen their understanding and connection to the local food system.
Over 5,000 people from across the state attended the last Hoes Down Harvest Celebration, California’s premier sustainable agriculture festival. There is an admission charge: Adults $20.00 (purchased online) or $25 (at door) per person, Children 2-12 years $5.00, children under 2 years of age free. Camping on Saturday night: $25 per car. Full Belly Farm is off of State Highway 16, just past Guinda in the agriculturally diverse Capay Valley.
On Saturday, October 3rd, the Harvest Festival at Full Belly Farm will feature educational farm tours, a magical children’s area, games, live music from the area’s best bluegrass players, local farm products and an abundance of fresh, organic food. Wagon rides, pulled by a team of draft horses, will continuously tour the farm. Workshops will be offered on an array of agricultural topics such as tree pruning, herb gardening, solar energy, compost making and more. A craft marketplace will showcase farm-made products and an all-organic farmers’ market boasts the bounty of the season: fresh picked almonds and walnuts, a huge variety of melons, apples and, of course, pumpkins. The children’s area has been described by National Geographic Magazine as the “Best in the State” with arts and crafts, storytelling and music, farm animals to visit and lots of games and contests—all with an agricultural theme. Kids will have a chance to watch a cow being milked, make felt out of wool and grind their own corn. Circus Bella, a talented troupe from the Bay Area, will entertain audiences of all ages with three shows during the day. Adults also have a chance to join in games and contests; be sure not to miss the Manure Pitch-Off, which really lets you get your hands dirty!
On Sunday, October 4th, a variety of in-depth on farm seminars will be offered on various farms throughout the Capay Valley, highlighting the agricultural diversity of the region. On farm seminars will include a bike ride tour of farms in the valley, in-depth farm tours, floral design, and many more. Admission for individual workshops: $10-35. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited so register early.
The Hoes Down Harvest Celebration is a program of the Ecological Farming Association, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit sustainable agriculture, local organizations, and worthy projects benefiting the environment and rural communities.
For more information on both these events, please visit www.hoesdown.org, email info@hoesdown.org, or call (800) 791-2110. Facebook: www.facebook.com/HoesDown.